Identification of Elder Abuse in Institutional Settings:

Most literature on elder abuse has focused on the abuse of community dwelling elderly, rather than elderly living in institutional settings. Yet this population is particularly vulnerable to abuse because of their exceptional frailty and the danger of retaliation from their caretakers. A particular difficulty with the identification of abuse in institutional settings is the lack of measurement instruments designed to remedy this lack by analyzing the literature on institutional abuse of the elderly, and comparing this knowledge to the existing indicators of abuse. Abuse types included in the analysis are: Physical Abuse, Physical Neglect, Psychological Abuse, Psychological Neglect, Material Abuse, and Violation of Personal Rights. The research showed that most identification items used in community settings are also useful in institutional settings, but additional issues must also by considered. Among these are the need for greater attention to evidence of the use of restraints, particularly chemical restraints; special problems with identifying the abuser; and the existence of different sources of information, such as medical records.